Written answer
Flood Relief Schemes
OPW funded the culvert replacement design at Lower Adamstown; the council is seeking construction funding before scheduling the works.
41. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of a minor flood mitigation works scheme at Lower Adamstown, Ballinhassig, County Cork. [74680/26]
Comment on this
Localised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and a Local Authority may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources. Local Authorities may apply to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for funding for flood mitigation and coastal protection works under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.
In May this year, I was pleased to announce that the revised criteria for the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme are available and greatly increase the scope of the Scheme. The revised scheme provides local authorities with a greater opportunity to address localised flooding and coastal erosion risk within their administrative areas. The revisions include an increase in the upper threshold in funding for projects from €750,000 to €2 million and an increase in the OPW contribution from 90% to 95% for approved funding above €300,000. I have also expanded the Scheme to include interim flood mitigation measures for communities where a major flood relief scheme is planned, but not complete.
Since 2009, the OPW has approved some €8.5 million in funding for Cork County for some 74 projects under the Scheme. In 2021, the OPW approved funding of €40,000 for the Council to complete the detailed design and the statutory requirements for works to replace a culvert under the R613 at Lower Adamstown in Ballinhassig. The Council has advised that the consultant’s scope of services for this project have since been completed and it is currently in the process of exploring further sources of funding to complete this project. The Council is to prepare a programme for the delivery of this project once the funding has been confirmed.
Further details of approved Minor Works projects are available at: www.floodinfo.ie.